Printing attachment



Oct. 2, 1934. w. E. BRAWN PRINTING ATTACHMENT A Fild Sept. 17, y1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 2, 1934.

W. E. BRAWN PRINTING ATTACHMENT Filed Sept. 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Patented Oct. 2, 1934 l 1,975,681 rmNrmG ATTACHMENT Worthen E. Brawn, Brunswick, Maine, assigner to Pejepscot Paper Company, Brunswick, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application September 17, 1931, Serial No. 563,378

8 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of manufacturing printed paper webs, by printing the formed paper web in the paper making machine before the complete drying and calendering of the web.

and While still moist,

printed by direct contact with the design cylinder. Heretofore the moist web of paper in paper making machines has been printed by various kinds of appliances and attachments, but it has been considered practically impossible to produce a fine quality of printing on the moist web by the use of the metal or engraved design or plate cylinder directly contacting with the moist web. I have however discovered that metal, rubber, or

any other hard-surfaced material, or engraved design cylinders can be employed to print directly upon the moist web in the-printing machine and produce a high grade of work by perfectly controlling the supply ofv ink or color to the design cylinder and machines utilizing my invention are now successfully producing printed webs of more or less intricate designs and of the finest quality of printing and absolute uniformity of product something heretofore 'during the actual manufacture of the paper,

unobtainable.

By my invention paper of any design or base color can be manufactured and printed during the manufacture with a design of any other color; and I attribute the novel results of my invention principally to the novel -and perfect means employed for controlling the supply of ink or color from the fountain to the design cylinder.

I also provide novel adjusting means for controlling the pressure between the fountain roll and the form roll, and for adjusting the pressure between the form roll and the design cylinder, and

for adjusting the pressure between the impression cylinder or roll and thedesign cylinder. I also 'provide throw-out means for quickly moving the inking mechanism out of contact with the design cylinder; and also for moving the impression cylinder out of contact with the design cylinder.

I also provide means whereby when the impression cylinder is moved out of contact with the design cylinder the paper web can pass between such cylinders without contacting either of them. I also provide means for synchronizing the peripheral speed of rotation of the design -cylinder and its cooperating r olls with. the linear speed of the moist paper web being (Cl. 10i-351) the paper web, which is essential for uniformity of printing.

'I'he accompanying drawings illustrate (one practical embodiment of my invention as applied to a paper making machine, and I will explain the invention with reference thereto, and refer to the claims for the novel features of construction and combination of parts for which protectionv is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of my novel printing attachment for paper making machines.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical elevation of the cylinders and rolls in the attachment, and of the drives between them.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view indicating a location ofthe printing mechanism in a paper making machine of the Fourdrinier type.

Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view of the devices for 75 adjusting the impression cylinder.

The printing mechanism comprises a cylinder 1 which carries on its periphery the design to be printed. 'Ihis design cylinder may have the design engravd -or cast on its periphery. Prefer- 80. ably the design is produced on stereotype plates, similar to the plates used in rotary newspaper printing presses, and such plates secured to and around the cylinder 1, and I will hereinafter refer to the design cylinder as a plate cylinder, intending thereby to include any kind of design cylinder having metal or otherhard printing surfaces.

The shaft 1a of cylinder 1 is shownas jour- -naled in bearings 21 in a frame 20 of any suitable construction as indicated in Fig. 1. When it is desired to change the design, the plate cylinder 1 can be removed and replaced by another cylinder, or have another set of printing plates attached to its periphery.

Cooperating with the plate cylinder 1 is alrim- 95 pression roll or cylinder 2, the shaft 2a of which is preferably journaled in boxes 2b on the lower ends of bars 2c which are slidably tted in vertical openings in vertically movable castings 2n slidably mounted on the upper ends of the side 10o frames 20.l The supports 2n are normally held in lowered position, and each has an ear 2h on its upper end which overhangs the upper end of the frame 20 to which the slide 211. is attached. Bars 2c have laterally projecting extensions 2d 105 on their upper ends through which pass bolts 2e which are tapped into lugs 2g on the castings 2n,- andstout expansion springs 2f are interposed between the lugs 2d and 2g and tend to normally raise the bars 2c and impression cylinder 2. The 11o lifting movement of thefsprings are limited by the heads of the adjusting bolts 2e which engage the lugs 2d. Lugs 2d are so constructed that they pinch the adjusting bolts 2e and hold them rmly in position. This construction permits regulation of the pressure contact between the impression cylinder 2 and the periphery of the plate cylinder 1, with the greatest nicety. The impression cylp inder is so adjusted relatively to the plate cylinder that the moist paper web W will contact with the surface of the plate cylinder and receive color directly therefrom without the web being torn or unduly squeezed in passing between the plate and impression cylinders, which arrangement is necessary because of the tender condition of the paper web at the point of printing.

An important feature of the invention is the novel means for supplying the ink or color to the periphery of the plate cylinder. In my invention the color is supplied to the plate cylinder 1 by a resilient surfaced form roller 3 which receives ink from a fountain roll 4, that takes ink from a fountain 5. The fountain roll 4 and the form roller 3 are preferably made of rubber such as is commonly used for the form rollers of printing presses, or they may be made of composition or other suitable material. The ink or color may be supplied to the fountain 5 from a reservoir (not shown) by means of pipe 6, the supply being so controlled as to maintain the supply of color in the fountain 5 at a height suific'ient to partially submerge the lower portion of the fountain roll 4.

The shaft 4a of the fountain roll is journaled in suitable bearings 24 on the frame 20. The shaft 3a of form roller 3 is journaled in boxes 5a slidably mounted in swingable supports or castings 5 which are pivoted on the lower portion of the frame 20, the axis of the pivots of castings 5 being coincident with the axis of the shaft 4a of the cylinder 4. The bearings 5a are movable in slots in the castings 5 and are normally pressed upward by springs 5b interposed between the boxes 5a and the bottom of the slots, said springs tending to separate the roller 3 from roll 4, but the separating action of the springs is limited and controlled by adjustable bolts 5c tapped through the upper end of the casting 5, and engaging the upper ends of the boxes 5a, these bolts being provided with jam nuts 5d so that when the bearings are properly adjusted they can be securely locked in adjusted position.

By these means the peripheral contact between the rolls 3 and 4 can be regulated with the greatest nicety and such that only the desired amount of color or ink can pass between them as is required to apply to the printing surface of the plate cylinder, so that the plate cylinder will apply only the proper quantity of ink or color to the paper web.

The castings 5 are swingable so that the form roller 3 may be brought into contact with the plate cylinder or moved out of contact therewith. To regulate -the peripheral pressure contact between the roller 3 and plate cylinder 1 bolts 6 are tapped through the arms 5e on brackets 5 adjacent the plate cylinder, and the ends of bolts 6 being adapted to contact with the adjacent portions of vthe frame 20 below the shaft la of the plate cylinder. Each bolt 6 can be adjusted by a hand wheel 6a, and after it has been adjusted to permit just the desired contact between the roll 3 and plate cylinder 1, it can be locked in its adjusted position by jam nut 6b.

The castings 5 and roller 3 are normally swung toward the plate cylinder by means of springs 7a strung on rods 7 pivotally connected to each casting 5 at 7b below the bolt 6. Each rod 7 extends through an eye 7e pivoted on an arm 8a attached l and jam nuts 7g on the free end of the rod; the expansion spring 7a being interposedbetweenthe eye 7e and the nuts 7g. By adjusting these nuts the tension of the spring can be regulated. The eyes 7e might be pivoted on the frame 20 but are preferably pivoted on the arms 8a connected to the rock shaft 8 to enable the casting 5 to be swung away from the plate cylinder to separate the roller 3 from the cylinder 1 in case it is desired to stop printing, or if there should be any damage to the web or anything. Shaft 8 has a hand lever 8b attached to it, which lever is normally held in depressed position (as shown in Fig. 1) by engagement with a lug or retainer 8c on a plate 8d attached to the frame 20. So long as the lever 8b is engaged with the catch 8c the castings 5 are drawn toward the plate cylinder 1 by the action of the springs 7a; but the contact between roller 3 and plate cylinder 1 is limited by the contact screws 6. If for any reason it is desired to separate roller 3 from plate cylinder, lever 8b can be disengaged from catch 8c and swung upwardly thereby moving rods 7 to the right and swinging castings 5 and roller 3 away from the plate cylinder.

To enable the impression roller 2 to be moved away from the plate cylinder without disturbing the adjustment of the impression roller, pins 2z' on the ears 2h of slides 2n are engaged by the bifurcated ends of arms 11 attached to a rock shaft 11a mounted on the upper end of the frame 20. A lever 11b is attached to shaft 11a and is adapted to engage a catch llc on a bar 11d attached to the frame 20 (Fig. 1), and when lever 1b is thus engaged, the slides 2n are held in depressed position and the impression cylinder 2 is then held in operative relation to the plate cylinder 1. If it is desired to quickly separate the impression cylinder 2 from the plate cylinder 1, lever 11b is depressed and engaged with a catch 11c on lower portion of 11d and this will cause arms 11 to lift the slides 2n with the impression roll hangers 2c and springs 2f without disturbing the operative adjustment of the impression cylinder on said slides.

In Fig. 3 the printing device is shown as arranged between the press rolls P and drying rolls D of a paper making machine. The paper web W after being formed passes between the press rolls P then ordinarily passes over suitable guides g to the drying cylinder D, the paper web being formed and pressed and calendered in the machine in the usual manner. No further illustration or description of the machine for making the paper is necessary.

It is important that the peripheral speed of the plate cylinder 1 and impression cylinder 2 be exactly uniform with the speed of travel of the web W and also that the peripheral speed of the rolls 3 and 4 should correspond with the peripheral speed of the cylinder 1 in order to prevent smudging or smearing of the ink or color supplied to the plate cylinder 1 and applied by it to the web W. These may all be driven by any suitable means, one driving means being indicated. in Fig. 2.

The shaft la of the plate cylinder is preferably driven by any suitable means (not shown) from the driving mechanism of the paper making machine, or a driven part thereof, in such manner that the peripheral speed of the printing surfaces on the plate cylinder is exactly equal to the linear speed of the partly dried paper web at thepoint in the machine where the printing mechanism is located. In the construction shown a shaft 9 is mounted in the frame 1 and on this shaft is mounted a pulley 9a which is driven by a belt 10 from a pulley 1p fixed on one end of the plate cylinder 1. The impression cylinder 2 is driven from the shaft- 9 by means of a belt 10a engaging a pulley 9b on shaft 9 and a pulley 2p on cylinder 2, the belt 10a being shown as crossed so as to drive impression cylinder 2 in the proper direction and at the same peripheral speed as cylinder 1.

The fountain roll 4 is driven at the same peripheral speed as the cylinder 1 by means of a belt 13 driven by a pulley 1s on the cylinder 1 and engaging a pulley 4s on the fountain roll 4 (see Fig. 2).

The form roller 3 being yieldingly held in contact with the plate cylinder and positively held against the fountain roll when the parts are in operative position will be driven at a peripheral speed in exact unison with that of the plate cylinder 1. Thus there will be no smearing or slipping between the plate and impression cylinders.

The paper web W moves in the direction indicated by the arrow heads and when it is to be printed passes between the plate cylinder 1 and impression cylinder 2 and receives ink or color directly from the plates or printing surface on the plate cylinder 1.

The form roller 3 is so adjusted relative to the fountain roll 4 that just the proper quantity of ink or color can pass between -these rolls, and just sufcient color adhere to the surface of the roller 3 to properly supply the printing surface, this color being applied by the printing surfaces of the plate cylinder directly to the moist web which is lightly pressed against the cylinder 1 by the impression cylinder 2. Preferably the cylinder 2 is of soft rubberor composition and the web is imprinted without injury thereto.

The resilient or soft rubber impression cylinder roll presses the paper web against the plate cylinder uniformly and assists in the printing operation. The resilient or soft rubber` rollers 3 and 4 transfer ink from the fountain to the plate cylinder in a greatly improved manner. The fountain roll 4 as its revolves takes up color on its surface and advances it toward the roll 3 but the peripheral contact pressure between the rolls 4 and 3 is such that only the proper quantity of color can pass between these rolls and just such quantity as is required to enable roll 3 to properly apply the desired quantity of color to the printing surfaces on the form cylinder 1. 'Ihe rolls 3 and 4 being of soft rubber or composition the action of these rolls might be described as wringer-like in preventing the passage of oversupply of color therebetween.

The adjusting screws 5c are capable of very fine adjustment and the difference between the .rolls 3and 4 can be controlled within less than 1/1000th of an inch and because of the fine threads of y these adjusting screws the pressure of roll 3 against roll 4 controls the squeezing action when the rolls are together and therefore controls to a very ne degree the amount of color passing between such rolls. The color passing between the rolls is of course equally divided on the surface of the rolls 3 and 4.

When roll 3 is in contact with the plate cylinder 1 the ink on the surface of roll 3 is transferred to the raised parts of the printing surface of the plate cylinder and is applied thereby to the web of paper. The contact between rolls 3 and plate cylinder 1 is determined by adjusting the screws 6 which provide an easy and accurate means for controlling `the amount of ink supplied to the plate cylinder by the form roller 3.

The operative position of the impression roller 2 relative to the plate cylinder 1 is nicely controlled by adjusting the screws 2e and enables the color to be applied to the web W as it passes between the cylinder and impression roller with just that delicate degree of pressure upon the web W as will insure printing the moist web without injuring it.

If for any reason it is desired to stop the printing this can be easily effected by lifting lever 8b which rocks casting 5 and separates the form roll from the plate cylinder. This quick throw-off mechanism is important as it sometimes happens that the web ruptures in the paper making machine and it is desirable to stop the inking of the plate cylinder until the damage to the -web has been repaired. The form roller can be moved into or out of operative contact with the cylinder 1 without disturbing the adjustment of the cylinder 3 relative to cylinder 4 and without altering the adjustment of the contact limiting bolts 6.l

In event of rupture of the web at any time or when it is not desired to use the printing mechanism, the impression roller 2 can be quickly separated from the plate cylinder 1 as above described.

rIhese quick release devices are necessary in order to prevent damage to the printing mechanism in case the web wads up and starts winding around any of the rolls in the event of a break in the web.

When it is not desired to print the web the impression cylinder can be raised away from the plate cylinder by depressing lever 11b and the web W can then be led below the cylinder 2 and above plate cylinder 1, without contacting either, to and over a guide roll 12 mounted on shaft 9, see Fig. 1. 'Ihis permits the operation of papermaking machines to make paper without the web coming in contact with any of 4the printing mechanism. This is advantageous because, upon the completion of an order ffor printed weg, a plain paper web may be run without havin to stop the machine to remove the plate cylinder or any part of the printing attachment from the paper-making machine. Also, if itiis necessary to run out paper-making stock without printing it, it can be done without contacting with the design roller, thereby veliminating unnecessary wear of the design. I

When it is desired to change the design the impression cylinder 2 is raised, and the plate cylinder 1 can then beremoved (by use of a chain fall or other suitable devices) and can be replaced byrarrothei'V plate cylinder` or have print- .ing plates" of other designs'attached to its surface.

The printing attachment, as described, accomplishes a higher quality of printing during the actual manufacture of a web of paper than has heretofore been accomplished by any other known arrangement. By the use of this attachment, paper of any desired base color can be manufactured and simultaneously printed with a de- 150 sign of any color. The driving arrangement accomplishes perfect synchronizing of all the roller and paper web speeds, which is essential for uniformity of printing. The printing attachment being driven as a separate segment of the paper-making machine allows the speed of the plate cylinder to be perfectly synchronized with the speed of the paper web, thereby accomplishing better printing results.

I claim:

1. In mechanism for printing the web in a paper making machine after the formation of the web but prior to the complete drying and calendering thereof, including a plate cylinder adapted to print directly upon the moist web in advance of the calender roll, a resilient impression cylinder cooperating with the plate cylinder and means for regulating the pressure on the moist web passing between the impression cylinder and the plate cylinder, a resilientf fountainrolLaresilient form roller contacting with the fountain roll and with the plate cylinder, means for nely adjusting the peripheral contact between the fountain and form rolls to regulate the amount of color passed from the fountain roll onto the surface of the form roller and transmitted thereby tothe plate cylinder, and means for regulating the peripheral contact pressure between the form roller and the plate cylinder.

2. In combination with mechanism for printing the web in a paper making machine after the formation of the web but prior to the complete drying and calendering thereof, including a plate cylinder, and an impression cylinder coacting with the plate cylinder; a resilient form roller adapted to supply ink or color to the plate cylinder, swingable supports carrying said form roller, means for yieldingly swinging-the supports toward the plate cylinder to bring the form roll into contact therewith, adjustable means for regulating the peripheral contact between the form roller and the plate cylinder; a resilient fountain roll taking ink from the fountain and supplying it to the form roller, and adjustable means for regulating the peripheral contact of the form roller with the fountain roll.

3. In mechanism for printing the web in a paper making machine after the formation of the web but prior to the complete drying and calendering thereof, including a plate cylinder adapted to contact with the web, and an impression cylinder; a resilient form roller adapted to supply ink or color to the plate cylinder, swingable supports carrying said form roller, means for yieldingly swinging the supports toward the plate cylinder to bring the form roller into contact therewith, adjustable means for limiting and regulating the peripheral contact of the form roller with the plate cylinder; afountain; a resilient fountain roll taking ink from the fountain and supplying it to the form roller and adjustable means for regulating the peripheral contact or squeeze between the fountain roll and the form roller to regulate the supply of ink from the fountain to the plate cylinder.

4. In combination with mechanism for printing the web in` a paper making machine prior to the complete drying and .calendering thereof, including a plate cylinder having a hard printing surface adapted to contact with the moist web, an impression cylinder cooperating -with the plate cylinder, and means for quickly shifting the impression cylinder when it is not desired to print the web a resilient form roller adapted to supply ink or color to the plate cylinder, swingable supports carrying said form roller, means for yieldingly swinging the supports toward the plate cylinder to bring the form roller in contact therewith, adjustable means for limiting and regulating the peripheral contact between the form roller and the plate cylinder; a resilient fountain roll taking ink from the fountain and supplying it to the form roller and adjustable means for regulating the peripheral contact or squeeze between the fountain roll and the form roller to regulate the supply of ink conveyed by the form roller from the fountain roll to the plate cylinder.

5. In mechanism for printing the moist web in a paper-making machine, prior to the complete drying and calendering thereof, including a printing cylinder, and an impression cylinder cooperating with the plate cylinder; a color fountain roll, a resilient form roller adapted to supply color from the fountain roll to the printing cylinder, swingable supports carrying said form roller, spring means for pressing said supports toward the printing cylinder to hold the form roller in yielding contact therewith, adjustable means for limiting the pressure contact between the form roller and the printing cylinder, and means for regulating the supply of color from the fountain roll to the form roller.

6. In mechanism as set forth in claim 5, means whereby said swingable supports may be quickly moved to throw the form roller out of contact with the printing cylinder without disturbing the adjustment of the form roller relative to the fountain roll.

'7. In mechanism for printing paper webs in paper-making machines, after the formation of the web but prior to the complete drying and calendering thereof, including a printing cylinder, and an adjustable impression roller cooperating with the printing cylinder; a resilient form roller adapted to supply ink or color to the printing cylinder, means for moving the impression roller into or out of operative position relative to the printing cylinder, and a guide roller for the web located in such relation to the -printing cylinder and the impression roller that when the impression roller is moved into non-operative position the web passing over the guide roller will not contact with either the impression roller or the printing cylinder, thus allowing the production of an unprinted web at will without interference with the regular operation of the paper machine for unprinted papers.

8. In mechanism for printing the web in a paper-making machine, after the formation of the web but prior to the complete drying and calendering thereof, including a printing cylinder adapted to contact with the web, and an impression cylinder; a resilient form roller adapted to supply ink to the printing cylinder, swingable supports carrying said form roller, springs adapted to swing the supports toward the plate cylinder and hold the form roller in yielding contact therewith, adjustable means for regulating the peripheral contact pressure of the form roller against the printing cylinder, a fountain roll for supplying ink to the form roller, and means whereby said swingable supports may be quickly moved to throw the form roller out of contact with the printing cylinder without disturbing l the adjustment of the form roller relative to the fountain roll.

WORTHJEN E. BRAWN. 

